SmartAdmit – Complete Online Admission System

SmartAdmit is a comprehensive Laravel-based online admission management system designed specifically for basic schools. It enables schools to manage the entire admission process digitally, from online applications and document submission to payment processing, admission approval, and student enrollment.

The system supports multiple payment methods including MTN Mobile Money, Paystack, Flutterwave, Bank Transfer, and Manual Payment Recording by Admission Officers, making it suitable for schools across Africa and beyond.

SmartAdmit helps schools eliminate paperwork, improve efficiency, and provide parents with a seamless online admission experience on both desktop and mobile devices.

Suitable For

• Creche Schools
• Nursery Schools
• Kindergarten Schools
• Primary Schools
• Junior High Schools
• Private Educational Institutions
• Basic Schools
• International Basic Schools

Features

Main Features

• Online Admission Portal
• Multi-Step Application Wizard
• Responsive Parent Dashboard
• Secure Document Upload
• Application Progress Tracking
• Admission Letter Generation
• MTN Mobile Money Integration
• Paystack Integration
• Flutterwave Integration
• Bank Transfer Support
• Manual Payment Recording
• Payment Verification
• Academic Session Management
• Class & Grade Management
• Applicant Management
• Admission Review Workflow
• Applicant Search & Filtering
• Reports & Analytics
• Email Notifications
• Role & Permission Management
• Audit Logs
• Responsive Admin Dashboard
• Built with Laravel
• Easy Installation
• Clean & Well-Documented Code

Requirements

SmartAdmit – Installation & Setup Guide

1. Server Requirements

SmartAdmit is a web-based application. You can install and run it either on a local computer for development/testing or on an online hosting server for production use.

Local Installation

If you want to run SmartAdmit on your computer, you need a local web server environment such as:

• WAMP Server – Recommended for Windows users

For a live/production installation, you need either:

• Shared Hosting with PHP and MySQL support

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Instructions

2. SmartAdmit Installation

After downloading and extracting SmartAdmit, you will find the application files inside the project folder. The database file is located inside the project's <strong>db</strong> folder. For example:

SmartAdmit/
├── app/
├── bootstrap/
├── config/
├── database/
├── db/
│   └── db.sql
├── public/
├── resources/
├── routes/
├── storage/
├── .env.example
└── ...

Step 1 – Upload or Copy the Project

Local Server

Copy the SmartAdmit project into your web server directory. For WAMP:

C:wamp64www

For XAMPP:

C:xampphtdocs

For example:

C:wamp64wwwsmartadmit

Shared Hosting

Upload the SmartAdmit project to your hosting account using cPanel File Manager or FTP. If your hosting provider supports Laravel, configure the domain/subdomain to point to the application's <strong>public</strong> directory.

3. Create the Database

Open your database management tool. For local installations, you can use:

• phpMyAdmin
• MySQL command line
• MySQL Workbench

Create a new database, for example:

smartadmit

You can use another database name if you prefer.

4. Import the Database

Inside the SmartAdmit project, locate:

db/db.sql

Open phpMyAdmin and select the database you created. Then:

1. Click Import.
2. Select the db.sql file from the SmartAdmit db folder.
3. Click Import or Go.
4. Wait for the import to complete.

After a successful import, the SmartAdmit tables should appear in the database.

5. Configure the .env File

Locate the .env file in the SmartAdmit project root. If the project only contains .env.example, create a copy and rename it to:

.env

Open .env and configure the application and database settings. Example:

APP_NAME=SmartAdmit
APP_ENV=local
APP_KEY=
APP_DEBUG=true
APP_URL=http://localhost/smartadmit

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=smartadmit
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=

For WAMP/XAMPP, the database username is commonly:

root

and the password may be empty depending on your installation. Do not use these values blindly on a production server. Use the database name, username, and password provided by your hosting company. For a live installation, for example:

APP_ENV=production
APP_DEBUG=false
APP_URL=https://yourdomain.com

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=your_database
DB_USERNAME=your_database_user
DB_PASSWORD=your_database_password

6. Generate the Application Key

Open Command Prompt or Terminal inside the SmartAdmit project directory and run:

php artisan key:generate###/precode###APP_KEY automatically.
You should then see the generated key in your .env file:
APP_KEY=base64:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


7. Install DependenciesIf the SmartAdmit package does not already contain its installed dependencies, run:
composer install

If frontend dependencies are included and you need to rebuild the assets:
npm install
npm run build

For local development, you can use:
npm run dev


8. Storage LinkRun:
php artisan storage:link

This creates the public storage link required for files such as applicant documents, images, and other uploaded files.

9. Clear Application CacheAfter configuring the .env file, run:
php artisan optimize:clear

This ensures Laravel loads the latest configuration.

10. Start SmartAdmitLocal InstallationIf you are using WAMP or XAMPP and the project is configured correctly, open:
http://localhost/smartadmit

If you prefer Laravel's development server, run:
php artisan serve###/prepre###http://127.0.0.1:8000

Online InstallationOpen your configured domain:
https://yourdomain.com

Make sure the domain points to the SmartAdmit application's public directory.

11. Payment Gateway ConfigurationSmartAdmit supports multiple payment options, including:
MTN Mobile Money
Paystack
Flutterwave
Bank Transfer
Manual Payment Recording by Admission Officer
After installation, configure the required payment credentials in the .env file according to the payment gateway documentation and the SmartAdmit configuration provided with the application.
For security, never publish your API keys or secret credentials in screenshots, source repositories, or public documentation.

12. Recommended Production SettingsFor a live school website, make sure:
APP_ENV=production
APP_DEBUG=false

Also ensure that:
HTTPS/SSL is enabled.
Database credentials are secure.
###licode###public directory is used as the web root.Storage permissions are correctly configured.
Application cache is cleared after configuration changes.
Regular database backups are configured.
Payment gateway credentials are kept private.

Quick Installation Summary1. Install WAMP/XAMPP/Laragon for local use
2. Copy SmartAdmit into the web server directory
3. Create a MySQL database
4. Import db/db.sql
5. Configure .env
6. Run php artisan key:generate
7. Run composer install
8. Run php artisan storage:link
9. Run php artisan optimize:clear
10. Configure payment gateways
11. Open SmartAdmit in your browser

SmartAdmit is ready to manage your school's online admission process from application through payment, review, approval, and enrollment.